Music bingo puts a fun and lively twist on the traditional bingo game by using songs instead of numbers on the bingo cards. To play, participants receive a card featuring a list of songs. As the host plays music, players mark off songs on their cards if they match the ones being played. The objective remains the same as in regular bingo: mark off a complete line and call “Bingo!” to win.
While bingo has enjoyed a renaissance in the internet age with a range of online live bingo games boasting fun alternatives like Wheel of Fortune, which adds cash to the prize pot every time a four is called, brick-and-mortar outlets have also seen music-inspired bingo grow in popularity all over the UK. The theme has also influenced mobile games, radio phone-in quizzes, and corporate team-building events, giving rise to applications enabling people to play together from anywhere via their phones.
Music bingo in the UK
Some of the biggest success stories to come out of the music bingo craze are firms that provide pubs, charities, and corporate clients with everything they need to run a successful toe-tapping bingo night. To that end, innovative versions of the game have come to life. In one such game, instead of the usual numbers called out in a traditional bingo game, the players are presented with 15 to 20-second clips of sing-along songs from both past and present. They quickly cross the song off their bingo cards when they recognize it.
Such organizations have also partnered with some of the most notable national chains. Clients have quickly praised the game and what it has done for their establishments financially. Testimonials acknowledge how the game has added to the experience of going out and boosted sales, particularly in quieter periods of the week, such as Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays, for the food and drink sector.
One such company that has enjoyed growth in this field is Rock N Roll Bing, based in Manchester. It differentiates itself by hosting events at various locations, including Manchester, London, Birmingham, and Liverpool, and encouraging the audience to dance and sing as the songs are played. The company has also expanded to weddings and corporate events.
Broadening the scope for music bingo
The popularity of musical bingo is such that the Worcestershire-based Events Company, which delivers everything from conferences and company fun days to festive parties, has developed its music bingo product for events such as team-building. It says its customizable musical bingo experience promotes engagement and interaction amongst colleagues while encouraging friendly competition.
The theme has also influenced mobile games and the well-reviewed Etsy game Music Bingo, which provides players with everything they need to play at home with friends and family, including MP3 song clips and 100 unique bingo cards.
Music bingo showcases how a classic game can be revitalized with a creative twist. It has breathed new life into pubs and social gatherings and expanded into various formats, including mobile games, corporate events, and even weddings.
Manchester Anthems: Five Iconic Tracks That Shaped Music History
Love Will Tear Us Apart (Joy Division): This post-punk anthem, released shortly after lead singer Ian Curtis’s tragic suicide, is a poignant reflection on the breakdown of a relationship and the despair of mental illness. Its haunting melody and melancholic lyrics have cemented it as one of the most iconic songs ever.
There Is a Light That Never Goes Out (The Smiths): This romantic ballad, with its dark undertones and yearning lyrics, has become one of The Smiths’ most beloved songs. It speaks to the desire for escape and the longing for a love that transcends the ordinary.
Blue Monday (New Order): This groundbreaking electronic track, with its distinctive drum machine beat and synth melodies, is considered one of the most influential dance songs ever. It marked a new direction for New Order after the tragic end of Joy Division and helped to define the sound of the 1980s.
Wonderwall (Oasis): This acoustic-driven Britpop anthem is one of Oasis’s most recognizable songs. Its simple yet powerful lyrics about love and longing have resonated with fans worldwide, making it a staple of singalongs and radio airplay.
Waterfall (The Stone Roses): This psychedelic-tinged Madchester anthem, with its iconic guitar riff and swirling melodies, is considered one of the defining songs of the era. It captures the spirit of youthful rebellion and the search for freedom.
